Catch-up and cleanup bookkeeping for ecommerce sellers
Behind on your books, or sitting on books you don't trust? We rebuild them month by month, settlement by settlement, and hand you a clean file your CPA can actually use.
Falling behind is normal. You were busy running the business, the DIY spreadsheet stopped keeping up, or a previous bookkeeper left a mess that made things worse than nothing. It only becomes a real problem when tax season, a loan application, or a potential buyer shows up and the books can't answer basic questions.
We do catch-up work at a discounted rate compared to monthly service, with a fixed quote before we start. No hourly meter running.
Why ecommerce catch-up is different
You can't just categorize bank transactions
A year of Amazon deposits tells you almost nothing about that year's sales. Real catch-up means pulling every settlement report and rebuilding gross sales, fees, refunds and reserves for each period. Skipping that step is how the last bookkeeper got it wrong.
Old inventory errors compound
If COGS was booked on purchases, every month since is misstated. We rebuild inventory movement so your margins are real, which usually changes the profit picture more than sellers expect. Sometimes in your favor.
The 1099-K mismatch problem
The IRS gets a 1099-K showing your gross sales. If your return was filed off net deposits, those numbers don't match, and mismatches are what trigger letters. Clean books make the reconciliation obvious.
What we do every month
- Fixed quote based on months, channels and transaction volume
- Every settlement report pulled and rebuilt
- COGS reconstructed from inventory movement
- Sales tax collected separated from revenue
- Duplicate and miscategorized transactions fixed
- Bank, credit card and payment processor reconciliation
- Clean year-end package for your CPA
- Written summary of what we found and fixed
How long does catch-up take?
One to three weeks for most projects. A single-channel Shopify store that's six months behind is quick. A three-channel seller two years behind with an inventory mess takes longer. We give you a timeline with the quote and report progress as we go.
If you're up against a tax deadline, say so. We can usually prioritize the periods your CPA needs first.
What happens after the catch-up
Most clients roll straight into monthly service so the backlog never rebuilds, with the catch-up fee credited against your Diligence Readiness Assessment if you started there. But there's no obligation. If you just need clean books handed back, that's a fine outcome too, and everything lives in your own QuickBooks or Xero file either way.
Related services
Closed by day 10, or 50% off
Your prior month is reconciled and delivered by the 10th business day, guaranteed in writing. Miss it and that month's fee is half price. No competitor guarantees anything.
You own your books
We work inside your QuickBooks, Xero or NetSuite file, not ours. Leave any time and everything stays with you, diligence history included.
Exit-grade, always
Accrual books with landed-cost COGS and a maintained addback schedule. If a buyer or lender called tomorrow, your books would be ready.
Published pricing, no lock-in
Our full rate card is on the website and engagements run month-to-month. Every ecommerce-exclusive competitor hides pricing behind a sales call. We don't.
Catch-up bookkeeping FAQs
How much does catch-up bookkeeping cost?
It depends on months behind, number of channels, and transaction volume, so we quote each project flat after a quick look at your accounts. Catch-up months are billed at a discount to our monthly rate. You'll know the full price before we start.
My previous bookkeeper's work is wrong. Can you fix it instead of starting over?
We audit what exists first. Sometimes it's salvageable and we correct specific errors; sometimes rebuilding from settlement reports is faster and more reliable. We'll tell you which, and why, before quoting.
Can you work with my CPA?
Yes, and we'd rather. We deliver the exact package they need, answer their questions directly, and stay out of their lane on tax strategy.
How far back can you go?
As far as the data exists. Marketplace settlement history, bank statements and processor exports typically cover several years. Multi-year rebuilds are common before a sale or an audit.
We'll do last month's books free, and show you what your bookkeeper missed
The free Ecommerce Books Audit: connect read-only access and within 3 business days you get a clean month of books plus a 10-minute recorded teardown of every margin leak, COGS error and sales-tax risk we found. Keep it all, even if you never hire us.
- ✓ Books closed by day 10, guaranteed in writing
- ✓ Everything stays in your QuickBooks, Xero or NetSuite file
- ✓ Published pricing, month-to-month, no lock-in